The present disclosure is related to an imaging lens. More particularly, the present disclosure is related to an imaging lens which is favorably suited for use in imaging apparatuses such as digital cameras, video cameras, and the like. In addition, the present disclosure is related to an imaging apparatus equipped with such an imaging lens.
Conventionally, imaging lenses that adopt the inner focus method, in which a portion of lens groups at an intermediate portion of a lens system is moved to perform focusing operations, have been proposed as imaging lenses for use in digital cameras that employ interchangeable lenses. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Nos. 2014-123018, 2012-242690, and 2014-089352 disclose lens systems that adopt the inner focus method, equipped with, in order from the object side to the image side, a first lens group having a positive refractive power, a second lens group having a negative refractive power, and a third lens group having a positive refractive power. In these lens systems, the second lens group is moved from the object side to the image side to change focus from that on an object at infinity to that on an object at a proximal distance.